What little girl doesn’t want a dollhouse to play with? When I was 3 or 4 I had a metal one that looked a lot like this:
In addition to the painted on furnishings it also had a collection of plastic furniture that I spent hours arranging, although the painted on toilet paper roll in the bathroom always seemed to dictate where the toilet should go.
I’m not sure what happened to the metal dollhouse but it didn’t last long. I then spent several years with dollhouse envy. One of my friends, an older girl named Lisa, had an amazing dollhouse for Barbie built by her dad. It was three stories tall with curved staircases and carpeting. It was open with no exterior walls and very few interior walls. It was very modern looking, of course since it was for Barbie. I didn’t spend much time at this girl’s house but when I did I could not be pried away from her dollhouse.
Another friend, also named Lisa, and her sister Lynda had a beautiful dollhouse built by a family friend. This was a more traditional looking dollhouse with partitioned walls and one side that opened. It looked like a traditional farmhouse, painted white with green shutters and it was beautiful. I don’t ever remember playing with it and I often wonder if Lisa and Lynda ever did.
Seeing the dollhouses of these lucky girls only made me want one of my own. One year my father did make one for me out of left over paneling. It had no windows or or doors or even a staircase accessing it’s three floors. The bottom floor was tall enough for Barbie to stand it but the top two floors where only tall enough for a Dawn doll. I’m not sure why the inconsistency and when I pointed out that Barbie was unable to stand up on the upper floors Dad told me “Those are the bedrooms. All she has to do is lie down and sleep.” I solemnly played with it for a few years until one day I admitted to myself that it was not pretty at all. (Sorry Dad!) It was simply a bookshelf with a peaked roof, so that’s what I ended up using it as.
When I was 12 Grandma Teetsel finally got involved. We were having one of our talks one day and she asked me, “If you have anything your heart desired what would it be?” I told her and two years later she presented me with this:
This dollhouse, called The Harrison, was built from a kit you can still get today. It wasn’t a complete surprise. We picked out the house style together and in the two years it took her to build it Grandma sought my counsel when picking out paint colors, shingles and wallpaper. She even added extra rooms. We were both troubled by the fact that by designating one of the rooms as the nursery we had sacrificed a bathroom. 
So Grandma built a new one.
She also added a kitchen with see through walls so as not to impede the view to the dining room.
By the time I got the house I was too old to play with it but it did spark a passion for miniatures. I started collecting furniture and even made a few pieces from kits. Then real life happened. Boys, then college and then career took over and The Harrison kept getting shoved aside and for years was ignored entirely.
Last month, shortly after the two year anniversary of Grandma’s death The Harrison came back home and just like that first time in 1982 my passion for miniatures has been reignited. Unlike before I have a great new source for ideas and pieces: the internet! There are tons of blogs and websites about miniatures and of course eBay, oh my! I will keep you updated as I furnish the rooms of The Harrison. You can be assured, it will be done pursuant to it’s intended glory and in honor of Grandma Teetsel.
How completely lovely …. what a wonderful memory and delightful interest!
Peggy, the level of detail and work my grandmother put into this dollhouse (the only one she ever built) at the age of 72 speaks volumes for the kind of person she was. I recently got rid of many of her things and it was a lot easier to do knowing I would always have this amazing gift she made me.
Karen, I always love looking at minis but never had the desire to furnish one. However I saw this blog recently and thought maybe.
Susan *:)
http://thebloggess.com/2011/10/the-haunted-dollhouse/
LOVE the Bloggess and her haunted dollhouse!
What a great post! Like your new miniature dollhouse project, Granny Teetsel is restored ;D in my eyes.
I, too, have a miniatures past! I still make the miniatures scene here in the South Bay, though not like how I was once involved. Most of the stores have closed, but we’re lucky that D&J Hobby remains.
I’m not as familiar with the supplies stores up near your ‘hood, but The Brass Horse doll shop might have some vintage mini-doll house items. Also, go check out that Daiso store. They always have great mini-stuff from Japan and you might be able to use some of it.
When you get into making miniature things, your entire perspective changes. You begin to notice the smallest details of everyday objects and start thinking how they can become something wonderful. I guess this has become my life’s ethic, in general ;P
My mom and I (well, mostly her) were into miniatures when I was aged 7 to 9 years old, then my sister was born. After that, my mom was busy and I was older anyhow, so I branched off on my own and started making mini foods with a plasticine clay called Fimo.
My mini-food specialty was candy and I’m still quite proud of the amazingly small Starlight mints I made. You know, those red and white peppermint candies?
Jewelry crafts will lend themselves to miniature-making quite well. My mom specialized in making mini perfume bottles and vases with beads and jewelry findings.
Eventually I got more into Barbie-scale stuff and I became a vintage Barbie scholar by the time I was 11 years old. In my late 20s I was completely immersed in the 1/6th scale world (aka Barbie-scale, aka “play scale”) and was creating entire rooms for my legendary collection of Japanese Barbies. The entire Hello Kitty / Sanrio-themed bedroom I created for my Takara dolls is still featured on several websites.
-HD
Thanks for the tips Holly. Why am I not surprised that you also know all things miniature? 🙂 You are spot on that this hobby changes your perception of the world. The other day at breakfast I took home some empty jelly containers because they looked exactly like little pie tins. My latest obsession is to find something that I can turn into a brass planter that I can put into they bay window of my parlor. I won’t rest until I find it.
Ok, I bet you could find something like that if you go to some India grocery stores! They use small brass thimble looking cups for their altars! There are a few shops like that along Mission in Hayward! 😀
-HD
Finally read this blog after we discussed last week. The dollhouse is definitely a gem – can’t believe Grandma Teetsel was 72 when she built this! I’d love to see all the new stuff you’ll add!
I forgot how nice the dollhouse that Grandma Teetsel made for you is. It’s nice to see pictures of it.
I talked to Lynda after I read your blog about the dollhouses. We didn’t play much with the dollhouse that Dad made. By the time that he made it, we didn’t play with dolls anymore. The dollhouse has gotten much use/abuse over the years from other kids though. Lynda has it at her house now. She said that it is in disrepair. Lynda feels a bit like the slumlord that has let the house go and refuses to fix it up for the tenants. Lynda said that she doesn’t have the time, patience, or know-how to fix up the dollhouse.
Maybe your dad couldn’t make a functional dollhouse, but you had the best house/playhouse in the backyard. Lynda and I were reminiscing about the lumber/french fries, the great playhouse, and the awesome stove/oven/car. I’m thankful that we had dads that were willing to make things for us.
Hello my friend! You and Lynda come up in this blog at lot. 🙂 You must be reading my mind because I’ve been thinking about the stove/oven/car a lot.